Weekly Workouts and Updates: Spring Has Sprung, 3/7-3/13

I don’t want to jinx it, but after this week, it seems like spring has sprung in New York City and I couldn’t be happier with the sunshine. It wasn’t a particularly cold winter. In fact, most of it was rather mild, save the arctic freeze over Valentine’s Day weekend. But there’s something about the arrival of spring, a season when the world is in bloom and everything is reborn, that’s particularly conducive to lazy weekend mornings, long runs in the not-yet-hot sun, fresh foods, and a general feeling that now is the time when new hopes and dreams can come alive.

My workouts this week weren’t particularly intense. After my pre-Florida 10-miler, and last weekend’s back to back longish runs, I’ve been tapering before the New York City Half Marathon on March 20th. Although since I haven’t been training according to any particular plan, even my own, I don’t know if you could really call it a taper. More just scaling back slightly before the day.

Monday: Rest day

Tuesday: 5 miles

Wednesday: Rest day

Thursday: 4 miles

Friday: “Rest” day (I walked 15 miles this day!)

Saturday: 8 miles @ 10:05/mile pace

Sunday: 6-mile morning walk

I decided on Saturday that I shouldn’t push it when I realized that I was running around 9:50/mile for the first 5 miles, but slowed down more than half a minute after a water break and felt my legs tiring. I was enjoying the sunshine in the park so much that I wanted to continue, but I probably should have stopped after mile 6 and know that running only 3 days was for the best this week.

Even though my running mileage was lower, I ended up walking even more than usual because it was so nice out, in the 70s on Wednesday and Thursday and high 60s on Friday. I spent my lunch breaks in Central Park, and I ended up meandering through the park after waking up a bit earlier with the sunrise on the way to work and strolling through on the way home. It was strange to see kids playing hockey at Wollman Rink while I was in summer clothes! And on Friday, once I got home we walked more to get ice cream for dinner. Chocolate Peanut Butter with sprinkles to start the weekend.

On Saturday after my run, I took some time to bake a few new recipes I’ve been working on and photograph them in the afternoon light. I’ve been baking throughout the winter, but a lack of time to photograph the recipes or think of anything interesting to say means it’s been awhile since I posted a recipe on this blog, and I’d like to get back in the habit. I’m starting this week, so look out for Friday’s post featuring my Buckwheat & Quinoa Banana Muffins.

I kept it pretty low-key on Sunday, with Daylight Savings time meaning a lost hour of sleep. A long morning walk in the park and some more blogging and baking. I may have over-indulged in the treats I was busy photographing, but it’s all fuel for the NYC Half. This time next week, my three-peat will be complete!

Do you taper before races when you run close to that distance on a regular basis?

it’s been so nice out! I do taper for races even though I normally run the distance just so I can have rested legs and go faster without wanting to die. I thought of you on Saturday since I was on the upper east side! we almost went to emack and bolios but ended up by bloomies instead (which you saw on Instagram).meredith @ Cookie ChRUNicles recently posted…5 Things Survey Fun

I was loving the weather last week! I think its supposed to be cooler and rainy this week though. I usually cut back before a race, even if I usually run the distance, just to give my legs some extra rest.Lisa @ Running Out Of Wine recently posted…Warm Weather, Daylight Savings, and a Boston Baby Shower

It has been so nice here too! I had a feeling it wouldn’t last and sure enough, it’s not nearly as nice this week. But, it’s still above freezing so I’ll take it. Progress!

In an ideal world, I would taper for any race, no matter the distance. Going into a race with fresh legs can make a big difference. However, it’s not really a possibility when I run them in the middle of marathon training because I need to keep my mileage up and stick to my plan. I treat my half marathon weeks as cutback weeks so I can scale back a bit, but I can’t afford to full-on taper for one.Hanna @ TheMillennialNextDoor recently posted…30 minus one: another trip around the sun

Spring’s tease last week was wonderful, but I wish the beautiful weather would have stuck around. Now that its colder and rainy its making me long even more for the gorgeous weather.Kathryn @ Dancing to Running recently posted…ZOOMA Annapolis Half Marathon Training Log – Week 6

That icecream looks so tasty. I am currently in taper mode. My big race is next Sunday I have been doing 13 miles the past few wks. Since that is the distance of my next race I thought I should take this wk off so my legs are fresh for the race. I am enjoying this spring weather as well. It’s about time!lacey@fairytalesandfitness recently posted…At Home Workouts you can do in 5 minutes